Shine Jacob And Indivjal Dhasmana

Stories by Shine Jacob And Indivjal Dhasmana

Taxpayers fear notices due to I-T dept slips

Taxpayers fear notices due to I-T dept slips

Rediff.com   8 Aug 2022

Income-tax payers fear they will receive notices from the government because the annual information statement (AIS) provided by the I-T department in many cases is showing incomes in excess of their earnings. The Central Board of Direct Taxes (CBDT) has dismissed these fears as unfounded. The deadline for filing income-tax returns (ITRs) for the assessment year 2022-23 ended on July 31.

Wheat, pulses, cooking gas topped inflation charts in June

Wheat, pulses, cooking gas topped inflation charts in June

Rediff.com   3 Aug 2022

The impact of fiscal measures announced by the government to contain inflation will be seen in the next few months because of the base effect, reports Indivjal Dhasmana.

Battered by three decades of controversy, TMB looks back to the future

Battered by three decades of controversy, TMB looks back to the future

Rediff.com   28 Jul 2022

June was a memorable month for the 101-year-old Tamilnad Mercantile Bank (TMB). Last month, the Thoothukudi-based bank witnessed two new landmarks in a history in which the last three decades could easily qualify for a Kollywood blockbuster.

Moody's warns of India's vulnerability to volatile food, energy prices

Moody's warns of India's vulnerability to volatile food, energy prices

Rediff.com   20 Jul 2022

Moody's Investors Service has warned that India, along with the Philippines, Thailand, and Vietnam are highly vulnerable to volatile food and energy prices in the Asia-Pacific region as the Russia-Ukraine conflict continues to disrupt supplies and raise the cost of agricultural products, especially cereals and vegetable oils, as well as fertilizers and other agricultural inputs. This is so because these countries have a higher weighting of energy and food prices in their consumer price index (CPI) baskets, Moody's said in its report released on Tuesday. The weighting of energy and food in overall Indian CPI stands at over 55 per cent.

This super app will offer a range of multi-brand services for passenger cars

This super app will offer a range of multi-brand services for passenger cars

Rediff.com   18 Jul 2022

A single application and a plethora of services for passenger cars - that is what myTVS, a brand that operates under Ki Mobility Solutions and is part of the TVS family, is set to bring to customers, in a bid to disrupt the concept of "super apps" in India. Starting July 15, myTVS will launch its connected car platform or super app called myTVS Life360 for aftermarket passenger cars. Through it, customers will be able to avail themselves of a range of services like maintenance, diagnostics, roadside assistance, accessories, payments, insurance, and so on.

ACME, Tata Power among 60 firms to sign MoUs worth Rs 1.25 trn with TN govt

ACME, Tata Power among 60 firms to sign MoUs worth Rs 1.25 trn with TN govt

Rediff.com   5 Jul 2022

Tamil Nadu secured investments worth Rs 1.44 trillion on Monday by signing of memoranda of understanding (MoU) with 60 companies, laying of foundation stones and inauguration of new projects.

Ford India unions call off month-long strike

Ford India unions call off month-long strike

Rediff.com   5 Jul 2022

Employees at Ford India's Chennai unit have called off the strike that started on May 30. Following this, the company has revised its severance package from earlier 115 days to 121 days for employees supporting production. The company indicated it would continue 'constructive discussions' with the unions in order to sweeten the deal further, if required.

Collectors' items: Some of these exotic pets cost Rs 150,000!

Collectors' items: Some of these exotic pets cost Rs 150,000!

Rediff.com   3 Jul 2022

White-lipped tamarin is a type of monkey that lives in the Amazon area of Brazil and Bolivia. Prevost's squirrel is a colourful species from the forests in the Thai-Malay Peninsula and nearby islands. Sugar gliders are tiny marsupials - 6.3 to 8.3 inches in length - native to Australia.

Labour codes not to kick in from Friday even as states, UTs frame rules

Labour codes not to kick in from Friday even as states, UTs frame rules

Rediff.com   1 Jul 2022

The Union government will take a bit longer to introduce the much-awaited labour codes even as the majority of states and Union Territories (UTs) have framed rules on them. There were speculations that these would be introduced from July 1. While 30 states and UTs have framed rules on the code on wages, 25 of them have done so on industrial relations. Of the two remaining codes, 24 states and UTs have framed rules on social security and 23 on occupational safety, health, and working conditions (OSH), sources said.

Foxconn likely to set up EV manufacturing unit in India

Foxconn likely to set up EV manufacturing unit in India

Rediff.com   30 Jun 2022

In a boost to the electric vehicle boom in India, Taiwanese major Hon Hai Technology Group (aka Foxconn) is likely to set up an EV manufacturing unit in India through its subsidiary Foxtron. Amid speculation that the company may look at Tamil Nadu and probably the Ford India unit near Chennai for its new facility, sources indicate that the group was already betting big in the electric vehicle component space in India through Bharat FIH, which is already having a tie up with companies like Ola Electric and Ather. Bharat FIH currently has two manufacturing units in Tamil Nadu's Sriperumbudur that manufactures phones like Apple iPhones and Xiaomi phones.

Domestic crude oil producers get marketing freedom, exports not allowed

Domestic crude oil producers get marketing freedom, exports not allowed

Rediff.com   30 Jun 2022

In a move that may boost the Indian hydrocarbon industry and bring more investments into the sector, the Union Cabinet on Wednesday decided to give marketing freedom to domestic crude oil producers, allowing them to sell petroleum to any company in the local market. The move is set to be beneficial for major crude oil producers, such as state-run Oil and Natural Gas Corporation (ONGC) and Oil India, and private sector majors like Vedanta's Cairn Oil and Gas and Reliance Industries. As of May 31, India was dependent on imports for 86 per cent of its crude oil consumption; domestic production sufficed the remaining 14 per cent demand.

7 out of 9 neighbouring nations charge less for petrol than India

7 out of 9 neighbouring nations charge less for petrol than India

Rediff.com   28 Jun 2022

Amid news of a fuel shortage in some parts of the country and wider unrest over fuel issues in the neighbourhood, an analysis of the data from international tracker globalpetrolprices.com shows that the per litre price of petrol is higher in India than in seven out of its nine neighbours.

Domestic toy makers see surge in sales after dip in Chinese imports

Domestic toy makers see surge in sales after dip in Chinese imports

Rediff.com   27 Jun 2022

According to industry sources, domestic toy manufacturers are seeing a sharp rise in sales during the current financial year. On January 1, 2021, India had banned the sale of toys that are not certified by the Bureau of Indian Standards (BIS). This meant that all factories churning out toys to be sold in India had to be certified by the bureau along with mandatory product testing, including for units abroad.

Twin setbacks put Pinarayi on a sticky wicket

Twin setbacks put Pinarayi on a sticky wicket

Rediff.com   23 Jun 2022

For Pinarayi, a victory in Thrikkakara would have come as public endorsement of his development initiatives, including controversial K-Rail project, which has witnessed widespread protest

India stares at fuel shortage with spike in under-recovery at OMCs

India stares at fuel shortage with spike in under-recovery at OMCs

Rediff.com   23 Jun 2022

As oil marketing companies (OMCs) stare at huge under-recoveries, India is facing fuel shortage across the country with states like Rajasthan, Madhya Pradesh, Karnataka Uttarakhand, Gujarat and Haryana being the worst hit. The under-recoveries suffered by OMCs are around Rs 20-25 a litre for diesel and Rs 14-18 a litre for petrol, said sources. Government and state-run companies denied reports of any crisis or supply-side issues on the availability of fuel.

About 50% of Ford's Chennai employees agree to restart production

About 50% of Ford's Chennai employees agree to restart production

Rediff.com   21 Jun 2022

At least 50 per cent of the 2,000-odd employees at Ford's Chennai factory have agreed to restart work at the unit, a Ford India official said on Monday. The plant had to shut down due to a staff strike that started on May 30. The company also warned protesting workers of loss of pay, effective June 14, and urged them to get back to the shopfloor. Ford said it would continue to hold talks with the unions.

Will Tamil Nadu govt step in to rescue Ford India workers?

Will Tamil Nadu govt step in to rescue Ford India workers?

Rediff.com   13 Jun 2022

An unhappy, restive mood prevails at the Ford factory Maraimala Nagar, 50 km from Chennai, and the surrounding area. The security is tight - not just Ford security personnel but also Tamil Nadu state police who are posted at the main gate. From September 9, when Ford India announced it was phasing out its units in India and leaving, workers at its manufacturing unit at Maraimala Nagar have held onto one hope: that the state government will step in to save their jobs.

Ford India lines up 'non-negotiable' severance package for workers

Ford India lines up 'non-negotiable' severance package for workers

Rediff.com   13 Jun 2022

Giving a fresh twist to the Ford India employees' strike at the firm's Maraimalai Nagar factory, the company has set the deadline for Monday evening for workers to accept a 'non-negotiable' severance package it is offering. It also indicated the possibility of legal action against workers from June 14 (Tuesday) and warned of early closure of the unit, before completing remaining export volume production. For the past 14 days, some 2,000 employees at the unit had struck work, seeking a better package from the company.

Indirect tax mop-up may fall short of target

Indirect tax mop-up may fall short of target

Rediff.com   10 Jun 2022

The government expects indirect tax collection to be lower than the Budget Estimate (BE) of Rs 13.38 trillion this fiscal year, despite prospects of netting goods and services tax (GST) in large amounts, Revenue Secretary Tarun Bajaj has said. "Indirect tax collection may see lower realisation than budgeted on account of cuts in excise and customs duties. "We could see a shortfall of about Rs 1.5 trillion on account of those," he told Business Standard.

Ford India workers' protest for better severance package enters Day 4

Ford India workers' protest for better severance package enters Day 4

Rediff.com   3 Jun 2022

With Tata Motors subsidiary taking over Ford's passenger vehicle (PV) manufacturing unit at Sanand in Gujarat, uncertainty over the future of Ford's Maraimalai Nagar unit in Tamil Nadu continues, with workers protesting on Thursday demanding a better severance package. There are over 2,000 employees working at the unit. On Thursday, there was a meeting between agitating employees and the state labour department. The workers started protests at the Chennai unit after Tata Passenger Electric Mobility signed a tripartite memorandum of understanding with Ford India and the Government of Gujarat for acquisition of Ford's PV manufacturing plant at Sanand.